CN110720704B - Braided footwear upper with incorporated tensile strands - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application relates to a braided footwear upper with incorporated tensile strands. Aspects herein relate to a footwear upper formed from a plurality of tensile strands interwoven with a webbing material. The upper may have a boot configuration. At least a portion of the strands may extend between a lateral side portion of the upper and a medial side portion of the upper and over an instep region and/or a sole region of the upper. The tensile strands may be bundled such that multiple strands form a single weft or warp. Strands having different numbers of tensile strands may form a pattern on the upper that is effective to aid in conforming the upper to the foot of the wearer while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation. The tensile strands, whether individual or bundled, may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

Description

Braided footwear upper with incorporated tensile strands

This application is a divisional application filed on 2016, 26/1, application No. 201680007185.6, entitled "braided footwear upper with incorporated tensile cords".

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to, but is not limited to, articles of footwear.

Background

Articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure, the upper generally being formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, and synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form an enclosed space for comfortably and securely receiving a foot of a wearer. More specifically, the upper forms a structure that extends over an instep area and a toe area of a wearer's foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a fastening mechanism for adjusting the fit of the footwear, as well as allowing a foot to enter and exit the enclosed space. The sole is generally secured to a lower portion of the upper and is primarily positioned between the foot of the wearer and the ground. The sole may be designed to absorb impact when the shoe contacts the ground or other surface.

Summary of The Invention

Aspects of the present invention relate to a footwear upper that includes a webbing material and a plurality of tensile strands that are interwoven in orthogonal directions with respect to one another. The tensile strands may have a greater tensile strength and/or a lower modulus of elasticity than the webbing material. The tensile strands may have a circular cross-section and the webbing material may have a non-circular cross-section. The tensile strands may be suitably positioned on the woven upper to facilitate conformance of the upper to the wearer's foot, while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation (water saturation) caused by external factors and/or caused by body fluids, such as those generated during strenuous athletic activities. The tensile strands may allow portions of the upper to remain generally in place during activity while allowing portions of the footwear upper without the tensile strands to break away from firm contact with the wearer's foot, thereby reducing fluid absorption and, therefore, the weight of the upper due to water saturation. The tensile cords may be grouped into bundles (bundles) that together form a single weft (weft) or warp (warp). The tensile strands, whether individual or bundled, may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

Aspects of the invention relate to a footwear upper formed from a plurality of tensile strands interwoven with a webbing material. The footwear upper may have a boot configuration. At least a portion of the tensile strand may extend between a lateral side portion of the footwear upper and a medial side portion of the footwear upper, and over an instep region (instep region) and/or a sole region of the upper. The tensile strands may be bundled or grouped such that multiple tensile strands form a single weft or warp. Strands having different numbers of tensile strands may form a pattern on the upper that is effective to aid in conforming the footwear upper to the foot of the wearer while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation. The tensile strands may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

The invention also relates to the following aspects:

1) a footwear upper comprising:

a webbing material forming a plurality of warp threads or a plurality of weft threads of a woven structure, the webbing material having a first tensile strength; and

a plurality of tensile strands interwoven with the webbing material in orthogonal directions relative to the webbing material, wherein each of the tensile strands has a second tensile strength that is greater than the first tensile strength.

2) The footwear upper of claim 1), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands extend from an instep region of the footwear upper to at least a sole coupling portion of the footwear upper.

3) The footwear upper of claim 1), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands extend from a portion of a lateral side of the footwear upper to a portion of a medial side of the footwear upper.

4) The footwear upper of claim 1), further comprising a cover portion disposed around at least an instep region of the footwear upper, the cover portion including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

5) The footwear upper of claim 4), wherein the fastening mechanism includes a lace.

6) The footwear upper of 1), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands are grouped into bundles, each bundle including a plurality of tensile strands located proximate to one another and including a single weft or warp.

7) The footwear upper of claim 6), including at least a first strand and a second strand, the first strand having a greater number of tensile strands than the second strand.

8) The footwear upper of claim 7), wherein the first strand is positioned closer to a heel portion of the footwear upper than the second strand.

9) The footwear upper of claim 7), further comprising a third strand, the second strand having a greater number of tensile strands than the third strand.

10) The footwear upper of claim 9), wherein the second strand is positioned closer to a heel portion of the footwear upper than the third strand.

11) A footwear upper having a boot configuration, the footwear upper comprising: a lateral side portion having an ankle edge and a lower edge; a medial side portion having an ankle edge and a lower edge; and an opening extending between an ankle edge of the lateral side portion and an ankle edge of the medial side portion; wherein at least a portion of the footwear upper comprises: a webbing material forming a plurality of warp or weft yarns, and a plurality of tensile cords interwoven with and perpendicular to the webbing material, and wherein the tensile cords have a greater tensile strength than the webbing material.

12) The footwear upper of claim 11), wherein at least a portion of the tensile strand extends from a portion of a lateral side of the footwear upper to a portion of a medial side of the footwear upper.

13) The footwear upper of claim 11), further comprising a cover portion disposed around at least an instep region of the footwear upper, the cover portion including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

14) The footwear upper of claim 13), wherein the fastening mechanism includes a lace.

15) The footwear upper of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands are grouped into bundles, each bundle including a plurality of tensile strands located proximate to one another and including a single weft or warp.

16) The footwear upper of claim 15), including a first strand, a second strand, and a third strand, wherein the first strand has a greater number of tensile strands than the second strand and is positioned closer to a heel portion of the footwear upper than the second strand, and wherein the second strand has a greater number of tensile strands than the third strand and is positioned closer to a heel portion of the footwear upper than the third strand.

17) A shoe construction comprising:

a sole;

an upper, the upper comprising: a plurality of warp threads comprising a webbing material having a non-circular cross-section and a plurality of weft threads comprising one or more tensile threads interwoven with the webbing material in orthogonal directions with respect to the webbing material, wherein the tensile threads have a circular cross-section and have a tensile strength greater than that of the webbing material; and

a cover portion disposed around at least an instep region of the upper, the cover portion including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

18) The shoe construction of claim 17), wherein the upper comprises a boot construction including an opening extending between a lateral side ankle portion edge of the upper and a medial side ankle portion edge of the upper, and wherein at least a portion of the weft extends from a lateral side portion of the upper proximate the sole to a medial side portion of the upper proximate the sole.

19) The shoe structure of 17), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of weft yarns comprises weft yarn bundles, each weft yarn bundle comprising a plurality of tensile strands positioned proximate to each other and comprising a single weft yarn.

20) The shoe structure of 19), comprising a first weft strand, a second weft strand, and a third weft strand, wherein the first weft strand has a greater number of tensile strands than the second weft strand and is positioned closer to a heel portion of the upper than the second weft strand, and wherein the second weft strand has a greater number of tensile strands than the third weft strand and is positioned closer to the heel portion of the upper than the third weft strand.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Drawings

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated herein by reference, and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a lateral side view of an article of footwear having a braided upper in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2A depicts a lateral side view of an upper having a webbing material interwoven with a plurality of tensile strands, in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2B depicts a medial side view of an upper having a webbing material interwoven with a plurality of tensile strands, in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary portion of an upper including different numbers of strands of tensile strands interwoven with a webbing material, in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a toe end view of a footwear upper having a boot configuration (bootie configuration) and including a webbing material interwoven with a plurality of tensile strands such that at least a portion of the tensile strands extend from a lateral side portion of the footwear upper, over an instep area of the footwear upper, to a medial side portion of the footwear upper, in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top down view of a covering (overlay) having a fastening mechanism that may be used in accordance with aspects of the present invention; and

fig. 6 depicts an example portion of an upper including a webbing material interwoven with a plurality of substantially evenly spaced tensile strands, according to an aspect of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a footwear upper that includes a webbing material and a plurality of tensile strands that are interwoven in orthogonal directions with respect to one another. The tensile strands may have a greater tensile strength and/or a lower modulus of elasticity than the webbing material. The tensile strands may have a circular cross-section and the webbing material may have a non-circular cross-section. The tensile strands may be suitably positioned on the woven upper to facilitate conformance of the upper to the wearer's foot while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation caused by external factors and/or by body fluids, such as those generated during strenuous athletic activities. The tensile strands may allow portions of the upper to remain substantially in place during activity while allowing portions of the upper without the tensile strands to be removed from firm contact with the wearer's foot, thereby reducing the surface area of the wearer's skin in contact with the upper and thereby reducing fluid absorption and, therefore, the weight of the upper due to water saturation. In embodiments, the tensile strands may be grouped into bundles that collectively form a single weft or warp. The tensile strands, whether individual or bundled, may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

Further, aspects of the invention relate to a footwear upper formed from a plurality of tensile strands interwoven with a webbing material. The footwear upper may have a boot configuration. At least a portion of the tensile strand may extend between a lateral side portion of the footwear upper and a medial side portion of the footwear upper, and over an instep area and/or a sole area of the upper. The tensile strands may be bundled or grouped such that multiple tensile strands form a single weft or warp. Strands having different numbers of tensile strands may form a pattern on the upper that is effective to aid in conforming the footwear upper to the foot of the wearer while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation. The tensile strands may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

Fig. 1 is a lateral side view of an article offootwear 100 having an upper 102 in accordance with aspects of an embodiment of the invention, the upper 102 including awebbing material 104 and a plurality oftensile strands 106, thewebbing material 104 and the plurality oftensile strands 106 being interwoven in orthogonal directions with respect to one another. The structure of article offootwear 100 of the present invention has the basic structure of athletic footwear and, therefore, may be configured for use with a variety of footwear types, including, but not limited to: hiking boots, football shoes, sports shoes, running shoes, cross-training shoes, soccer shoes, basketball shoes, baseball shoes, and the like. However, it should be understood that the novel concepts of the present invention may be utilized with other types of footwear. Accordingly, although the term "shoe" will be used herein, it is contemplated to include any type of footwear for any purpose, such that the term "shoe" should be interpreted herein as "footwear".

Since a large portion of the structure of theshoe 100 is the same as that of a conventional athletic shoe, only the conventional features of the structure will be described in general terms herein. In addition, relative positional terms will be used herein. For example, the term "proximate" is intended to mean on, around, near, beside, immediately adjacent, at, and the like. Thus, when a feature is proximate to another feature, in some aspects, the feature is in close proximity to, but not necessarily exactly at, the described location. Additionally, although the terms "inboard" and "outboard" will be used herein for convenience, it is contemplated and understood that each term can be substituted for the other. Alternatively, in the alternative, it should be understood that generic terms such as "first" and "second" may be substituted for the inner or outer sides. This replacement is partly in view of the right shoe structure and the left shoe structure. Similarly, it is contemplated that portions of upper 102 may alternatively be coupled (integrally or mechanically) to opposite sides.

The illustratedshoe 100 has a sole 108, the sole 108 being constructed of a resilient material commonly used in the sole structure of athletic shoes. The sole 108 may be constructed with an outsole, a midsole, and an insole, as is conventional. The sole 108 has a bottom surface that serves as a traction surface for the shoe and an opposite top portion. Theshoe 100 is sized to have a length that extends from a rearsole heel end 110 of the sole 108 to a forward toe end 112 of the sole 108. The sole 108 has a width that extends between a medial side (not shown) and alateral side 114 of the sole 108.

The upper 102 is secured to the sole 108 and extends upwardly from the sole, such as from a top surface of the sole. In general, upper 102 may be any type of upper. In particular, upper 102 may have any design, shape, size, and/or color. For example, in embodiments wherearticle 100 is a basketball shoe, upper 102 may be a high-top upper shaped to provide high support to the ankle. In embodiments wherearticle 100 is a running shoe, upper 102 may be a low top upper.

Referring to fig. 2A and 2B, for reference purposes, components offootwear 100, such as upper 102, may be divided into aforefoot portion 116, amidfoot portion 118, and aheel portion 120. Whenfootwear 100 receives a wearer's foot,forefoot portion 116 may be generally associated with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges together.Midfoot portion 118 may be generally associated with the arch of a wearer's foot. Likewise,heel portion 120 may be generally associated with the heel of a wearer's foot, including the calcaneus bone. In addition, upper 102 may include alateral side 122 and amedial side 124. In particular,lateral side 122 andmedial side 124 may be opposite sides of upper 102. In addition, bothlateral side 122 andmedial side 124 may extend throughforefoot portion 116,midfoot portion 118, andheel portion 120.

Aheel portion 120 of upper 102 on itslateral side 122 extends upward from sole 108 to a lateral sideportion ankle edge 126. Theheel portion 120 of the upper 102 on itsmedial side 124 extends upward from the sole 108 to a medialside ankle edge 128. Lateralside ankle edge 126 and medial side ankle edge cooperate to define anankle opening 130. Theankle opening 130 provides access to a void on the interior of the shoe for receiving and securing the foot relative to theshoe 100. The cavity is shaped to receive and extend along a lateral side of the foot, along a medial side of the foot, over the foot, around the heel, and under the foot of the wearer.

Although various material elements or other elements may be incorporated into the upper, some areas of one or both oflateral side 122 andmedial side 124 may incorporate provisions (provisions) that increase strength and resist stretch along some portions of upper 102. As seen in fig. 1 and 2A, in at least one configuration,lateral side 122 of article offootwear 100 may include a first material that is interwoven with a second material in an orthogonal direction with respect to the second material, forming weft threads and warp threads. The first material may be a webbing material. In embodiments, the webbing material may include a fabric woven into a flat strip that is non-circular (e.g., rectangular) in cross-section. In an embodiment, the woven flat strip composed of webbing material may have a width of 4 mm. The webbing material may be made from a variety of fibers including, but not limited to, cotton, linen, nylon, carbon, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, or aramid (e.g., cotton, linen, nylon, carbon, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, or aramid)

). The second material may be a strand of tensile fibers ("tensile strand"). In embodiments, each tensile strand may be made of a tough, lightweight fiber, such as, by way of example only, nylon or

And (4) forming. The tensile strands may be manufactured such that they have a substantially circular cross-section. The tensile strands may include a tensile strength that exceeds the tensile strength of the webbing materialStrength and/or a modulus of elasticity less than the modulus of elasticity of the webbing material.

In embodiments, footwear upper 102 may have a boot configuration in which the primary entry point of a void within the interior of the shoe (which is designed to receive and secure the foot relative to shoe 100) isankle opening 130 when upper 102 is secured to sole 108. In other words, in a boot configuration, there is no forefoot opening or instep opening in the upper as is common in many articles of footwear. In such embodiments, at least a portion oftensile strands 106 that make up upper 102 extend from a lateral side portion of footwear upper 102, overinstep area 132 of footwear upper 102, tomedial side portion 124 of footwear upper 102. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate thattensile strands 106 may similarly extend from a portion oflateral side 122 of footwear upper 102, over a sole region (not shown) of upper 102, to a portion ofmedial side 124 of upper 102. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the plurality oftensile strands 106 may instead extend from theinstep area 132 of the footwear upper 102 to the lateralsole coupling portion 134 or the medialsole coupling portion 136 of the footwear upper 102 without extending across theinstep area 132 of the footwear upper 102. Any such variations and all such variations and any combination thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.

An article offootwear 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may include acover portion 138, withcover portion 138 configured to be disposed around atleast instep region 132 of upper 102. Anexemplary cover portion 138 is shown in fig. 5.Cover portion 138 includes aninstep area boundary 140, withinstep area boundary 140 generally configured to partially encloseinstep area 132 of upper 102.Cover portion 138 also includes at least a portion of a fastening mechanism for securing orfastening footwear 100 about a wearer's foot. In theexemplary covering portion 138 of fig. 5, the fastening mechanism portion shown includes anaperture 144 and awire loop 146, with a cord or lace 148 (fig. 4) intended to pass through theaperture 144 and thewire loop 146. In embodiments, the fastening mechanism allows the wearer to modify dimensions of upper 102 to accommodate foot sizes. For example,lace 148 threaded throughapertures 144 and/orthread loops 146 may allow the wearer to tighten upper 102 around the foot and/or loosen upper 102 to facilitate entry and removal of the foot from the void (i.e., through ankle opening 130). In other cases, other types of fastening mechanisms may be used, such as fastening mechanisms including hook and loop closures, buckles, or other contemplated closures. In addition, upper 102 may include a tongue area at a top area of the footwearproximate instep area 132.

As previously stated, the interlaced weaving of thetensile strands 106 and thewebbing material 104 according to embodiments of the present invention facilitates conformance of the upper 102 to the wearer's foot while enhancing ventilation and reducing water saturation caused by external factors and/or caused by body fluids, such as those generated during strenuous athletic activities. That is, a suitable arrangement oftensile strands 106 may allow portions of upper 102 to remain generally in place during the course of activity, while allowing portions of upper 102 that are free oftensile strands 106 to break away from firm contact with the wearer's foot, thereby reducing the surface area of the wearer's skin that contacts upper 102, and thus, reducing its absorption of fluids. Additionally, in embodiments, thetensile strands 106 may be less absorbent than thewebbing material 104. Less fluid absorption by upper 102 may reduce the weight offootwear 100 and allow benefits in terms of efficiency. In addition, the tensile strands may effectively transfer the load of the fastening mechanism through the woven upper, while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

In an embodiment, thetensile strands 106 may be interwoven with thewebbing material 104 such that thewebbing material 104 forms warp strands and thetensile strands 106 form weft strands.Tensile strands 106 may be individually interwoven with asingle webbing material 104 throughout upper 102 or portions thereof. Fig. 4 and 5 show such an embodiment in detail. Alternatively, thetensile strands 106 may be grouped together to form bundles, where each bundle includes a plurality oftensile strands 106 positioned proximate to each other and includes a single weft or warp (as the case may be). Fig. 1, 2A, 2B, and 3 illustrate embodiments in which a portion of thetensile strand 106 is formed into a bundle.

Referring specifically to fig. 3, thetensile strands 106 are shown formed into three strand sizes. Thefirst bundle size 150a includes four tensile strands that are adjacent to each other and form a single weft or warp. In the example shown, three bundles of a first bundle size are shown, which form three weft or warp threads aligned next to each other. Thesecond bundle dimension 150b includes three tensile strands that are proximate to each other and form a single weft or warp. In the example shown, three second bundle sizes are shown, which form three weft or warp threads aligned next to each other. Thethird bundle dimension 150c includes two tensile strands that are proximate to each other and form a single weft or warp. In the example shown, three bundles of a third bundle size are shown, which form three weft or warp threads aligned next to each other. As shown, the remainingtensile strands 150d are individually woven around thewebbing material 104.

The pattern of tensile strands (pattern) as shown in fig. 3 is also shown in the upper of fig. 2A and 2B. In fig. 2A and 2B, it can be seen that the tensile strands offirst strand size 150a are closer toheel portion 120 of upper than the tensile strands of second strand size 150B, and the tensile strands of second strand size 150B are closer toheel portion 120 of upper 102 than the tensile strands ofthird strand size 150 c. The singletensile strand 106 is relatively furthest from aheel portion 120 of upper 102. The illustrated construction allows for increased support and strength in areas where the additional support and strength of the wearer's foot is most beneficial to the wearer during activity, while providing less support in areas where the additional support is less beneficial to the wearer. However, having thetensile strands 106 all interwoven allows for the additional benefit of less moisture absorption provided by embodiments of the present invention. The illustrated construction additionally allows thetensile strands 106 closest to the fastening mechanism to be most concentrated so that tensile forces may be transmitted from the fastening mechanism through the woven upper while allowing the upper to have a desired degree of elasticity, support, and/or comfort.

Although the shoe construction has been described above with reference to particular aspects, it should be understood that variations and modifications can be made to the shoe construction described without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. A footwear upper (102), comprising:

a webbing material (104) forming a plurality of warp threads or a plurality of weft threads of a woven structure, the webbing material (104) having a first modulus of elasticity; and

a plurality of tensile strands (106) interwoven with the webbing material (104) in orthogonal directions relative to the webbing material (104), wherein each of the tensile strands (106) has a second modulus of elasticity that is less than the first modulus of elasticity.

2. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands (106) extends from an instep region (132) of the footwear upper (102) to at least a sole coupling portion (134, 136) of the footwear upper (102).

3. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands (106) extends from a portion of a lateral side (122) of the footwear upper (102) to a portion of a medial side (124) of the footwear upper (102).

4. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, further comprising a cover portion (138) disposed around at least an instep region (132) of the footwear upper (102), the cover portion (138) including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

5. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 4, wherein the fastening mechanism includes a lace (148).

6. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands (106) are grouped into bundles, each bundle including a plurality of tensile strands (106) positioned proximate to one another and including a single weft or warp.

7. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 6, wherein the strands include at least a first strand (150a) and a second strand (150b), the first strand (150a) having a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the second strand (150 b).

8. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 7, wherein the first strand (150a) is positioned closer to a heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the second strand (150 b).

9. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 7, wherein the strand further includes a third strand (150c), the second strand (150b) having a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the third strand (150 c).

10. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 9, wherein the second strand (150b) is located closer to a heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the third strand (150 c).

11. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, the footwear upper (102) having a boot configuration, the footwear upper (102) comprising:

a lateral side portion having an ankle edge (126) and a lower edge;

a medial side portion having an ankle edge (128) and a lower edge; and

an opening extending between an ankle edge (126) of the lateral side portion and an ankle edge (128) of the medial side portion.

12. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands (106) extends from a portion of a lateral side (122) of the footwear upper (102) to a portion of a medial side (124) of the footwear upper (102).

13. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 11, further comprising a cover portion (138) disposed around at least an instep area (132) of the footwear upper (102), the cover portion (138) including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

14. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 13, wherein the fastening mechanism includes a lace (148).

15. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of tensile strands (106) are grouped into bundles, each bundle including a plurality of tensile strands (106) positioned proximate to one another and including a single weft or warp.

16. The footwear upper (102) according to claim 15, wherein the strand includes a first strand (150a), a second strand (150b), and a third strand (150c), wherein the first strand (150a) has a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the second strand (150b) and is positioned closer to a heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the second strand (150b), and wherein the second strand (150b) has a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the third strand (150c) and is positioned closer to the heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the third strand (150 c).

17. A shoe construction comprising:

a sole (108);

the footwear upper (102) according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of warp threads comprise the webbing material (104) and have a non-circular cross-section, and

the plurality of weft yarns comprises the tensile strand (106), wherein the tensile strand (106) has a circular cross-section; and

a cover portion (138) disposed around at least an instep region (132) of the footwear upper (102), the cover portion (138) including at least a portion of a fastening mechanism.

18. The shoe construction of claim 17, wherein the footwear upper (102) comprises a boot construction including an opening extending between a lateral side ankle part edge (126) of the footwear upper and a medial side ankle part edge (128) of the footwear upper (102), and wherein at least a portion of the weft extends from a lateral side portion of the footwear upper (102) proximate the sole (108) to a medial side portion of the footwear upper (102) proximate the sole (108).

19. The shoe structure of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of weft yarns comprises a weft yarn bundle, each weft yarn bundle comprising a plurality of tensile strands (106) positioned proximate to one another and comprising a single weft yarn.

20. The shoe structure of claim 19, wherein the weft strands include a first weft strand (150a), a second weft strand (150b), and a third weft strand (150c), wherein the first weft strand (150a) has a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the second weft strand (150b) and is positioned closer to the heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the second weft strand (150b), and wherein the second weft strand (150b) has a greater number of tensile strands (106) than the third weft strand (150c) and is positioned closer to the heel portion (120) of the footwear upper (102) than the third weft strand (150 c).

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